Tonight, filmmaker Max Kutner is screening his documentary on the landmarked Coignet building in Gowanus, “At the Corner of Third and Third.” He examines the mysterious building’s 130-year-history and significance, as well as the Whole Foods being built next door, through “archival materials and interviews with historians, activists, artists, photographers, and local residents to show how a community looks to the future while fighting to preserve the past.” The 20-minute film shows at 6 pm at the NewFilmmakers New York series at the Courthouse Theater at 32 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.

Whole Foods is developing and cleaning up a blighted and toxic site and providing a much needed service and hundreds of long term jobs. And in addition, they will be restoring the exterior of the Cloignet building; a building that they do not even own.

Great news for Gowanus, end of story! These people need to wake up and see the reality of the situation.

The building has suffered greatly since Whole Foods has been doing construction on the site. We have heard for years that they would restore it, but it now appears like they are destroying the building which has been gradually crumbling under the construction vibrations.

If Whole Foods cared about Brooklyn and it’s history, why are they proceeding in such a careless manor with the restoration and preservation of this structure? Because they want to make it crumble to the ground?

I doubt the damage you are claiming, they have done no pile driving as part of the construction so there have been no damaging vibrations. I have noticed a patch on the building where they have tested the removal of the phony brick facing – that seems like a sign that they intend to do the restoration and are figuring out the best way to do it.

The doubters in the project, like yourself, expect the worst of corporations, but they have everything to lose and nothing to gain by allowing the building to crumble. It may be hard for you to believe, but Whole Foods is not Evil.

Remember, nobody gave a sh*t about this building for decades till WF came along, give them some credit, even if they were made to do it by contract.